Kids' Health: Contact With Unvaccinated Children

It's good to be aware of unvaccinated children in your daughter's class. They are susceptible to a host of vaccine-preventable illnesses; if they catch a serious disease, your child could catch it, too, vaccinated or not. And that's a cause for concern for your kid's health.

It's important to remember that the serious diseases that were prevalent before vaccines were developed still exist. Some are caused by germs commonly found in the environment (such as pertussis), while others are only an airplane ride away (such as polio). Children who have not been immunized are more likely to get very sick themselves, as well as to pass infections on to other people. Infants, elderly individuals and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable; even classmates who are up-to-date on their shots may be at risk. That's because vaccines don't offer 100 percent protection (though they do come close). For this reason, most schools require that children who do not receive vaccines due to medical, religious or personal reasons stay out of school during disease outbreaks; check with your school district to find out their policy.

The best way to alleviate concern and protect your kid's health from these preventable illnesses is to make sure she has all the required immunizations herself. The vaccines will give her the best protection available.